Diderot and the Art of Thinking Freely

De: Andrew S. Curran

Narrado por: Paul Boehmer

Denis Diderot is often associated with the decades-long battle to bring the world's first comprehensive Encyclopedie into existence. But his most daring writing took place in the shadows. Thrown into prison for his atheism in 1749, Diderot decided to reserve his best books for posterity - for us, in fact. In the astonishing cache of unpublished writings left behind after his death, Diderot challenged virtually all of his century's accepted truths, from the sanctity of monarchy, to the racial justification of the slave trade, to the norms of human sexuality. One of Diderot's most attentive readers during his lifetime was Catherine the Great, who not only supported him financially, but invited him to St. Petersburg to talk about the possibility of democratizing the Russian empire.

In this thematically organized biography, Andrew S. Curran vividly describes Diderot's tormented relationship with Rousseau, his curious correspondence with Voltaire, his passionate affairs, and his often iconoclastic stands on art, theater, morality, politics, and religion. But what this book brings out most brilliantly is how the writer's personal turmoil was an essential part of his genius and his ability to flout taboos, dogma, and convention.

©2019 Andrew S. Curran (P)2019 Tantor

lifelong coverage of his life.

the author explains in great detail the life of Diderot and keeps it interesting/lively

Exquisite!!!!

A truly beautiful and compelling work of erudition and storytelling. What a feat! Highly recommended.

Vive Diderot!

A truly remarkable and underappreciated thinker. I'm glad I decided to listen/read about this incredible man and his revolutionary philosophy and genius way of thinking!

Wonderful in every way

Spectacular in every way from beginning to end. A “must listen” for any lover of life, thought, and what it means to share in society. And wonderfully narrated.

Courageous Story of Truth Seeker

Life story of an original thinker. Put in prison for his beliefs he persisted and helped all future free thinkers.

Fascinating individual, very modern sensibilities, lots of contradictions.

Failed to talk about his membership in secret societies. Still it captured the 1700s beautifully.